The amount of data stored digitally has increased dramatically in recent years. In addition to the more traditional data files utilized by computing systems, such as the nearly ubiquitous personal computers (PCs), various forms of media have now begun to be commonly stored in digital form. For example, digital photographs have all but replaced traditional film based photographs. Likewise, digital music files have become the predominant form for transmission, distribution, and storage of music content. Multimedia files, containing sound and images, have become readily accepted as a preferred way to transmit, distribute, and store content such as commercial and home movies. Accordingly, it is not unusual for even a casual user of technology to amass a large collection of digital files, perhaps including digital photos, digital music, digital movies, databases, office productivity files, etc. Similarly, businesses, including small businesses and home based businesses, have large amounts of digital files.
In order to accommodate the storage of such digital files, a typical PC system of today generally includes a mass storage system (e.g., hard disk drive) providing 200-300 gigabytes or more of storage. Similarly, other devices which utilize digital data files typically include, or have associated therewith, large mass storage systems. For example, it is not uncommon for personal entertainment systems (PESs), such as a MP3 player or IPOD, personal digital assistants (PDAs), such as a BLACKBERRY or IPAQ, personal communication systems (PCSs), such as an IPHONE or other smartphone, to include 100 gigabytes or more of storage.
Although the intangible nature of such digital data files has provided advantages in transmission, storage, and access to information, their use is not without disadvantage. For example, users have often discovered that such digital data files may be damaged, corrupted, or otherwise lost, thereby preventing access to their data. It is not uncommon for a mass storage system or its host system (e.g., PC, PES, PDA, PCS, etc.) to fail or be damaged to an extent that digital data files are not recoverable. Similarly, such systems may themselves be lost or stolen, taking their digital data files with them. Accordingly, users have begun to realize that implementing some sort of digital data file archiving or duplication process (often referred to as “backup” or “backing up”) is important to digital data file security.
A traditional technique for providing digital data file backup is to provide a second, external mass storage system, such as a second hard disk drive of appropriate storage capacity, and make a copy of the digital data files to be backed up on that second mass storage system. This solution has not provided an ideal solution for providing digital data file backup for a number of reasons. For example, the user must acquire, interface, and maintain the duplicate or second mass storage system, which results in added cost and effort. Moreover, the process of identifying the particular digital data files for duplicating on the second mass storage system, managing the duplication process, and periodically supplementing the backed up digital data files with new or modified digital data files is often overwhelming for many users. A further disadvantage of the use of the aforementioned second mass storage system is that it is typically stored with or near the host system it is used to backup. Thus, if the host system is rendered inoperable (e.g., due to fire, electrical surge, lightning strike, computer virus, etc.) or is otherwise unavailable (e.g., due to loss, theft, etc.), the second mass storage system containing the backup digital data files is likewise unavailable or inoperable. Additionally, as with the host system, external mass storage systems are vulnerable to breakage and drive failure, the timing of which is difficult to predict.
A more recent technique for providing digital data file backup is to utilize a network based solution (often referred to as “cloud computing”). For example, a network based mass storage system, such as may be provided by an Internet based storage service, is utilized to provide storage of duplicate copies of digital data files. A host system provided with an appropriate network connection may thus upload a copy of the digital data files to be backed up to the network based mass storage system through the network. This technique has the advantage of providing additional mass storage without the user having to acquire and maintain a second mass storage system. Such a network based system also provides a higher level of data security because data is stored offsite, in data centers with redundant and often geo redundant server architectures. Because the additional mass storage is provided in the network “cloud,” issues with the backed up digital data files being destroyed, lost, stolen, or otherwise unavailable with the user's host system are mitigated. However, this solution has not provided an ideal solution for providing digital data file backup for a number of reasons. For example, the process of identifying the particular digital data files for duplicating on the second mass storage system, managing the duplication process, and periodically supplementing the backed up digital data files with new or modified digital data files continues to often be overwhelming for many users.
Perhaps the greatest impediment to the use of a network based solution is the time and network resources required for backing up large amounts of digital data files. Typical broadband Internet connections, as would be utilized for a cloud computing backup system, are asymmetrical (e.g., the downlink often provides on the order of 10 times the throughput as the uplink, such as ADSL over plain old telephone service (POTS) lines theoretically providing 12 Mbit/s downlink and 1.3 Mbit/s uplink). Such asymmetrical broadband Internet connections, such as provided by asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) and cable Internet links, readily accommodate the downloading of Internet content (e.g., web pages) and the small amount of uplink data used to navigate and access such Internet content. However, asymmetrical broadband Internet connections do not provide an optimal interface for uploading large amounts of data as is done using a network based digital data file backup solution. For example, the links often do not meet the theoretical throughputs, but rather provide much lower effective throughput, such as due to noisy links, collisions with other network traffic, host computer multitasking, dropped links which must be reestablished, etc. Accordingly, transferring copies of 100 gigabytes of digital data files (an amount which, as discussed above, is not uncommon even for a casual user) to a network based mass storage system using such an asymmetrical broadband Internet connection has been found to often take from 28-30 days.
Such a lengthy transfer of data is not conducive to a good user experience. For example, the use of the host system and/or other system utilized for the data uploading is substantially impacted by the data transfer. Similarly, other systems utilizing the network link (e.g., other PCs linked to the Internet through the same broadband connection) may be negatively impacted by the reduced availability of the network link. If the network link suffers an interruption or other anomaly, the data transfer may halt until the user restarts the data transfer. Such network interruptions are not uncommon, particularly within the number of days required for the data transfer, and can result in appreciable delay between the interruption and the resuming of data transfer. Thus the actual time required for completion of the data transfer may be extended for hours and even days.
Further exacerbating the foregoing disadvantages associated with the use of a network based solution for digital data file backup are the restrictions on network use often implemented by Internet service providers (ISPs) and/or other service providers. Broadband network links are often trunked or otherwise shared among different users or user entities. For example, although ADSL links typically provide a private (unshared) link between the central office (CO) and the customer premise, the link between the CO and the Internet point-of-presence (POP) are typically trunked (shared). Cable internet links are typically shared for all but the last few feet completing the link to the customer premise. Accordingly, ISPs and other service providers (e.g., carriers) have begun implementing caps or limits on data transfer to prevent one or a few users from monopolizing the shared resources to the detriment of other users. Even if such service providers wished to accommodate data transfers for backup purposes, it is difficult for the service providers to distinguish between network consumption for legitimate data backup purposes and the less desirable, but equally network resource intensive, peer-to-peer exchange of music or movie content. Accordingly, service providers have blindly implemented decreases in available bandwidth and/or temporary termination of network links where a user is consuming more than some threshold amount of bandwidth for a period of time. Such restrictions negatively impact the already poor user experience associated with the use of network based solutions for digital data file backup available today.